Daily Briefing: 'A Lot of Joy'
•White House backs Sen.McCain's ban on the torture of detainees; noted as a "particularly significant setback" forCheney. [ WP , WP , NYT , USAT , LAT ]
•In 2002,Bushauthorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop domestically without needing a court warrant; under pressure from the White House, theNew York Timesheld the story for a year to "conduct additional reporting." Former senior official: "This is really a sea change. It's almost a mainstay of this country that the N.S.A. only does foreign searches." [ NYT ]
•Republicans try to outmaneuver Democrats on final legislation. Filibuster may be in order for the Patriot Act debate; Republican lawmakers "are increasingly showing independent streaks." [ WP , NYT , LAT , LAT ]
• Bushon Iraq vote: "There's a lot of joy, as far as I'm concerned, in seeing the Iraqi people accomplish this major milestone in the march to democracy." [ NYT ]
• Bushdoubles proposal for rebuilding New Orleans levees to $3b; new structure would not shield from Category 5 hurricanes. [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
•Congressional report finds that the administration withheld some prewar intelligence from lawmakers; White House disputes claim. [ WP ]
•Pentagon kept information about American citizens for longer than necessary. [ NYT ]
•Democrats attackBushfor asserting Rep.DeLay's innocence. Sen.Reid: "To have someone of his stature, the president of the United States, prejudge a case is something I've never seen before." [ WP ]
•Rep.Pelosipraises Democrats' diversity of opinions on Iraq: "There is no one Democratic voice." [ WP ]
•House Republicans support construction of 698 miles of fences along the U.S.-Mexico border. [ LAT , NYT , USAT ]
• Jack Abramoffpleads guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges in Florida. [ WP ]